Memories From Students
Margaret Benson 1924-26
My schoolfriend and I arrived at St Gabriel’s in September, 1924. Our first faux pas was to ring at the main front door, but we were soon directed to the students’ entrance at the side-front. We also arrived with a male escort, a relative of my mother who had gone to a lot of trouble to discover how we got from Paddington to St Gabriel’s. Later, when all the first-years were together for the Principal’s talk to us, we learnt that male escorts - including our fathers - were not welcome!
In those days, St Gabriel’s was residential and we were in the Upper East dormitory, at the end of College overlooking the Chapel. We were not allowed in the dormitories during the day, which meant being sure to take with you everything that you were likely to need.
Rising bell was at 7 a.m. and if I remember rightly, there was another one somewhat later. Anyone who missed Chapel for any reason waited at the top of the steps to apologise to the Principal before going in to breakfast.
We had to be out every afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. You might be playing in a team or going
into Brixton or Camberwell, or perhaps to Peckham for shopping. During our first afternoons
we sat in the little park - Myatt’s Fields, just opposite the College - and there I shed
a few homesick tears.
From 4 o’clock until tea time we did an hour’s prep in classroom or crypt, and after tea another hour until dinner time.
We went out on Saturdays from 1 o’clock until 7 o’clock. On Friday evenings after dinner we queued up to ask permission of the Principal for what we proposed to do on Saturday afternoon. We were not allowed to go to the cinema or watch films, but we could go to theatres to watch certain approved plays, St Joan being one. We spent quite a number of afternoons at the Old Vic when Shakespeare plays were being acted. We paid sixpence and sat in the hard, dusty gods, but it was one of our most enjoyable afternoons. Then, of course, we found a Lyons café and had tea. The National Gallery and the Tate often saw us - and when we asked permission, sometimes hid where we were actually going. Once a term we were allowed an extension until 9 o’clock if we were meeting a member of the family - and that had to be confirmed by a letter from home.
On Sunday mornings we were expected to go somewhere to Church. Occasionally we caught a bus and went to St Martin-in-the-Fields or St Margaret’s, but usually my friend and I walked up to Herne Hill where there was a Church whose services were very like those in our Church at home.
Always on Saints’ Days we wore our navy skirts, white blouses and navy ties. I never knew there were so many Saints’ Days! We were never allowed to wander the corridors in our gym tunics. We wore these over our skirts, which we removed outside the hall where we had gym sessions. Miss Cator, our visiting PE lecturer, was the only person allowed to wander College in a gym tunic.
We were all in awe of the Principal, especially when two of us took our turn - and we never knew when that would be - to sit one on each side of her at dinner. One on one side waited to be spoken to, while the other had to entertain her with conversation. It only happened about once in two years. I think she retired quite soon after our session ended, and we heard that she then spent quite some time in Ethiopia.
Miss Alcock taught music. Her father, who was knighted, was organist at Salisbury Cathedral. I had such pleasure from the music because I’d always liked to sing; I became a member of our year trio and the choir. Somewhere I have a certificate awarded to our choir in the South London Music Festival: Miss Alcock entered us and conducted us. The certificate was awarded to each of the choir members just for the sight-singing entry, and our choir won that year, much to our joy and that of Miss Alcock. She was only with us for a year because she got married; a break like that was always something of an upset. In her place we had a visiting lecturer, Dr. Daymond, from one of the music colleges. On one occasion she brought one of her promising students, Keith Falkner, to sing to us. Of course, we subsequently watched his career with great interest.
During our first term, College had a half-term break for the first time ever. Before the Principal was appointed to St Gabriel’s she had been a mistress at Monmouth High School (Haberdashers as it was then). My friend and I and our College Mother had spent seven years there ourselves. Our College Mother, who was very self-possessed, joined with a few of the second-years and went to see Principal about a half-term break. They must have impressed her because it was granted. For those breaks I always came home, because my father worked at the railway and I could get a privilege ticket. My friend stayed with friends of her family in Croydon.
At the end of every term we struggled down from the top of the building to the boothole where our trunks were put out for us. Then we packed all our goods and chattels and sent them home.
During the First World War the College was a hospital; Vera Brittain did a bit of nursing there and mentioned it in one of her novels.
At Christmas time I still keep in touch with ‘Rex’, who was E.N.Dear. Her husband was a headmaster and her only son is a lecturer at Leeds University, so they left Surrey and moved up to Hebden Bridge to be near him and their two young grandsons. She has had a hip replacement.
I don’t think we had a great affection for the College but at least we were grateful to it. We were certainly well looked after and our families knew we were safe. At the end of two years we came back to Cinderford where a job was waiting for us in the school which we had attended as scholars and student teachers. In some ways it was a blessing, as jobs were hard to come by. It was a good school and now, after ninety-five years, it is being demolished.
Margaret Benson sent these memories to Mrs Shirley Reading in 1991. Mrs Reading has given permission to print them.
